WASHINGTON 鈥� You do have a plan, don鈥檛 you? And that plan is up to date, right? Your water, food, medicine and batteries are all good? Everyone in the family knows what to do, where to go and how to connect?
Or maybe not. First responders, forecasters and the people at the region鈥檚 biggest power company say: Now is the time to make your hurricane preparations.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been quite a while in the region since we鈥檝e had our 鈥楽andy鈥�,鈥� said National 蜜桃视频app Service meteorologist Chris Strong.
Because of that, Strong, says few people in the Mid-Atlantic have a frame of reference like those in the Northeast who survived Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
The National 蜜桃视频app Service is predicting between 11 and 17 “tropical cyclones” this year 鈥� systems ranging anywhere from below 鈥榥ame鈥� status to Category 5 hurricanes.
As always, Strong said, it鈥檚 a matter of when, not if, a devastating storm will hit us.
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a busy season or an inactive season, it really comes down to whether or not we get our turn for that big storm,鈥� he said.
Strong, National Capital Region Red Cross CEO Linda Mathes and several Pepco managers gathered Friday to kick off hurricane season, which officially begins June 1. But they all agree that now is the time to prepare.
鈥淭his moment in time is a time to refresh, update, refine, fine-tune our plans,鈥� said Mathes. And she said that starts with being hyperlocal.
“Know what emergencies can happen in your home 鈥� your neighborhood and your workplace.鈥�
Is your home vulnerable to fire? Is there someone in the family who might have a medical emergency? Is your neighborhood flood-prone? Could a mudslide happen?
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to know them, think about them, plan for them,鈥� she said.
Mathes said, communication within your family is another important part of the plan.
鈥淢ake plans in advance for how you鈥檒l connect. Plan what you need to do if you鈥檙e directed to stay put or shelter in place,鈥� she said. Often, that requires some specific actions or supplies.
The opposite is important too: Have a plan for what to do if you must evacuate your home.
If you鈥檙e home but without utilities, Pepco hopes you鈥檒l keep in mind where your home falls on its priority list.
鈥淲e want to take care of those life-threatening situations first,鈥� said Pepco Emergency Management Manager Pete Pedersen.
鈥淗ospitals, 911 centers, water treatment, nursing homes. Those are all very high on our list of priorities,鈥� he said. After that, it鈥檚 a numbers game.
鈥淲e look at how we [can] get the largest number of customers back in the shortest amount of time. If we get (a) substation back, we can literally pick up tens of thousands.鈥�
Pedersen says it鈥檚 then down to feeder locks, line taps and other links in the chain, all the way down to that final customer on that last circuit.
鈥淚t is something we think about every day,鈥� he said.
